Planting seeds indoors is a completely different task. You need the right tools to succeed, just like with any job. Discover 7 practical indoor seed starting tools that will help your seedlings not just survive, but flourish. We’ll discuss options for gardeners of every skill level, from casual hobbyists to keen seed starters.
Starting seeds indoors is both enjoyable and simple. It allows you to get a head start on the growing season, and a few handy tools can make all the difference. Seedlings will become limp and weak if not exposed to enough bright light. Seeds may struggle to sprout or grow strong roots in the absence of the proper soil medium. Investing in quality indoor seed starting supplies, on the other hand, will help you grow strong, happy, healthy seedlings (as well as a lot of your own produce food) for many more seasons to come!
Creating an Indoor Seed Starting Zone
Seeds can be started simply indoors. In a basement, spare room, garage, workshop, or anywhere else you have some extra space! Some of my friends start seeds on their kitchen table or in a corner in a living room. The area should ideally be shielded from high temperatures and have a power outlet close by. I’ve grown from seed in everything from a space on my kitchen floor near a birdcage to a plant stand in the foyer. Use what you’ve got!
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7 Start-up Supplies for Indoor Seeds
1. Medium for Growing Seeds
Seeds should be planted in a light, fluffy, sterile medium so that their petite soft roots can sprout and grow. Potting soil, compost, and garden soil are frequently too dense and rich for seeds to germinate, resulting in uneven germination and slow growth.
Furthermore, using soil from your garden might introduce undesirable disease or pests into your seed starting supplies! Choose an organic seed starting mix instead, which is specifically designed for sprouting seeds. I recommend pre-wetting the mix before planting seeds. Make it damp but not wet!
2. Pots and Trays
Containers for sprouting seeds are one of the most important seed starting supplies you’ll need. However, there are numerous styles available, including plastic pots, paper pots, and others. Each has advantages and disadvantages, and every gardener has a different preference for what to use!
Here are some popular choices:
- Consider this awesome galvanized steel self-watering seed starting tray if you like traditional trays and cells but don’t want to use plastic. It also has a wicking reservoir, looks great, and ought to last forever! Tip: Use recyclable popsicle or ice cream wooden sticks and a pen marker to mark/label your seeds.
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- If you’re feeling particularly creative, you can make your own newspaper pots with the help of a paper pot maker. Even though newspaper is recyclable, I recommend gently peeling away the pot (or at least tearing off the bottom) before transplanting the seedlings outside. Paper degrades more slowly than plant roots when planted, leaving them confined and root-bound. The same holds true for any ready-made “plantable” sustainable pots.
- Avoiding using pots altogether and making your own soil blocks with a handy soil block maker tool is one of the most environmentally friendly options. However, a bottom tray, such as these refillable heavy-duty 1020 trays, is still required to nest the soil blocks in.
- Complete seed starting kits make it incredibly simple to get started. For instance, with this Jiffy Peat Pellet Seed Starting Greenhouse, you can start up to 36 plants. This kit contains 36mm diameter plant-based peat pellets, biodegradable pellet netting made from cornstarch and features a clear, watertight humidity dome to maintain a comfortable level of humidity during germination. I started tomatoes, squashes, peppers with this kit and achieve great results.
After planting seeds in any pots or trays you decide on, it’s beneficial to keep them covered with clear plastic or a reusable humidity dome. This promotes quick germination by preventing soil and seed drying out. But it’s crucial to take off the cover as soon as the seeds start to grow!
3. Grow Lights
Seedlings require plenty of bright direct light from the moment they sprout to flourish. Without it, they spread out in search of better light, becoming unattractively tall, frail, and drooping (also referred to as getting “leggy”). surprisingly, ambient light from a sunny window is typically not strong enough for seedlings to grow healthy and compactly indoors, especially during the darker days of winter. However, grow lights can save the day in that situation!
Grow lights should be left on while growing seedlings for 14 to 16 hours each day to achieve the best results. Here, a plug-in light timer comes in very handy! Most grow lights kit comes with a timer built in. It’s also best to hang the lights just a few inches above the seedlings at first, then to raise them as the plants grow. Be sure to check the manufacturer’s recommendations as some LED lights require additional clearance.
Options for grow lights:
Grow lights are available in a variety of sizes and shapes to meet the needs of different gardeners, including single light fixtures and specialized multi-tier shelving systems with built-in grow lights. Here are some excellent choices to think about:
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- A dedicated 4-Tier Grow Light Shelving Plant Stand outfitted with premium adjustable 60W Full Spectrum grow lights. This stand can accommodate a generous number of seedlings. This grow light is designed with 400-780nm full spectrum, simulating sunshine lighting. Super bright light consumes only 10W, it is energy-saving and efficient which is a good choice for all indoor plant growth. This is the stand I use in my living room space to get my seedlings going!
- Do you need a light only? Think about using this traditional four-tube T5 light fixture with 2 hanging cables connected to each corner and an 8′ grounded power cord. Alternately, use these small, full spectrum LED lights, which includes double-sided tapes, clips and cable ties so you can attach underneath a metal shelf or something similar with ease.
- For starting a small number of seedlings on a table in your workshop, basement, or other spare space, an LED tabletop light is ideal. As the seedlings grow, you can simply raise the lights because they are suspended from a sturdy, movable frame.
4. Watering Can
Use a spray bottle to keep the soil’s surface moist before seeds sprout. But it’s best to switch to bottom-watering once they begin to sprout. (You pour water into the tray beneath the seedlings at that point, and the soil absorbs it from the bottom.) Bottom watering is simple with a watering can like this one that has a long, narrow spout.
There are many advantages to bottom-watering seedlings. It lessens the chance of damping off or upsetting seedlings, encourages roots to grow deeply into the soil, and maintains soil moisture more evenly. Additionally, it lessens your chance of overwatering! Just be careful not to add more water than the soil can absorb in a few hours.
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5. Mild Fertilizer
Fertilizer is the last item on this list of practical indoor seed-starting supplies. But after emerging, seedlings do not require fertilizer. In fact, if used too early, it can harm or stunt them. However, as they grow, seedlings will benefit greatly from additional nutritional support in the form of a gentle fertilizer, especially if it will be a few weeks before they are moved outside.
Excellent mild options for seedlings include seaweed extract or diluted fish fertilizer. As with bottom-watering, I advise combining the fertilizer concentrate with water before pouring the mixture into the tray containing the seedlings. Wait at least 3 weeks after germination or until the seedlings have grown a couple sets of true leaves before beginning fertilization. Follow the dosage instructions provided by the manufacturer, or even err on the side of caution.
6. Fan for Sufficient Airflow
For healthy seedling growth, adequate airflow is essential. It aids in avoiding damping off, a fungus that causes sudden seedling death. Air movement also strengthens seedling stems as they sway in the light breeze, lowering the risk of damage or shock upon transplantation outdoors (a crucial step in the hardening off process).
So, make sure you have a fan handy! Although my living room space has a standing oscillating fan, this practical 6″ clip-on fan is ideal for smaller spaces. Keep the airflow close to the seedlings, but don’t make it too strong or direct so that it knocks them over.
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7. Heating Pad
Most seeds prefer soil temperatures between 70 and 75 ยฐF for quick and even germination. Additionally, warm soil promotes rapid root development! To maintain the ideal soil temperature range, seedling heat mats were created. They are very useful when starting seeds indoors, in a garage, or even in a greenhouse, especially during cooler seasons of the year. They come in a variety of sizes.
It is incredibly rewarding and exciting to grow your own food from seeds. There are so many fantastic options and varieties available. With the proper tools, I hope this guide will make you feel more equipped to grow with me! If you have any questions, kindly post them in the comments section below. If you thought this information was helpful, please think about sharing this article. Happy planting, and thanks for reading today!
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